Faking It
by Bikutoria
Summary: A job is a job. Except when the job involves Kagome being paid to masquerade as her employer, Kikyo, and having to deal with all the messy details of her life that she failed to mention. Like stalkers and ex-boyfriends. [AU: InuKag, MS]
1. The Price of Beauty

[**Disclaimer**: The rumors are true. I really don't own Inu-Yasha. Or a book I read years ago that I _think _was called _Janine and Alex_, which served as the springboard for this story.]

[**Summary**: AU. A job is a job. Except when the job involves Kagome being paid to masquerade as her employer, Kikyo, and having to deal with all the messy details of her life that she failed to mention. Like stalkers and ex-boyfriends.]

  
  
**_Faking It_ **

**Chapter 1**

**The Price of Beauty**

by Bikutoria

~+~

_"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."_

**-Thomas A. Edison**

**~+~**

Kagome sighed to herself, eliciting glares from the pedestrians surrounding her. Here she was, in the city she despised, dragging herself from interview to interview, only to hear the words she dreaded: "not appropriate." Whether it was her lack of relevant experience or her lack of an education, the girl realized she was banging her head against a very low ceiling. But at least in this city of millions of people (and jobs) her odds were better than just looking around her suburban neighborhood. Which is why she was here, waiting for the sign to light up green so she could move along with the others and make her way to whatever meeting she had lined up next.

Something needed to change.

~+~

"Kikyo." The woman driving the limo was trying to attract her employer's attention away from whatever random person she was blathering on to on her miniscule cellphone. She knew Kikyo hated being interrupted, but Kikyo had also set another priority above even that.

"_Kikyo_," she repeated as she abruptly brought the limo to a halt. That got her attention.

"What?" she snapped, one perfectly manicured finger immediately disconnecting the phone call without so much as a goodbye.

"I see one. To your right, waiting at the crosswalk."

Kikyo struggled in vain to see between the mass of people for this girl. Unable to, she said, "Retrieve her. But this one better be more appropriate than the last one." She shuddered slightly at the memory. "If you really thought that hideous girl could have passed for me…"

Sango, not replying, simply shifted the gear to park and stepped out to speak to the girl she had just seen. The one that looked exactly like Kikyo.

~+~

Kagome was drawn out of her private pity party by a nearby commotion. A limo, it seemed, had parked in the middle of the street. A woman emerged from the driver's seat, casually dressed in black pants and a well-fitting hot pink shirt. The oddest thing about the situation was that the driver seemed to be walking straight towards Kagome. 

Brows furrowed, Kagome forgot all about her job search and crossing the street. Instead, she waited for this woman to come right up to her.

"My name is Sango," she said. "And my employer would very much like to talk to you."

"Eh?" Kagome face turned panicked as all sorts of thoughts ran through her head. "Your boss…he's not…what for?" she finished lamely.

The woman, who had at first seemed somewhat imposing to Kagome, suddenly laughed. "Oh, he's a she. She just wants to talk to you and see if you're appropriate for a job she needs to fill." Still seeing the uncertainty of the other girl, Sango added, "She works in the modeling industry."

Kagome was silent for a moment, processing the likelihood of all this. This was not the first time she had been approached based on her looks; but usually, people assumed she was already a certain well-established model who was wildly popular a few years ago. And even then, the people who approached her were usually less-than-savory men well past their thirties. If this lady's boss was a woman, then it certainly cut down on the likelihood that the offer was less than legitimate. Maybe it was a sign…appropriate. It wasn't everyday limos stopped in the middle of the street and the people inside offer a job just when she was in desperate need of one.

Kagome wanted to work with her mind, not her appearance. But desperate times called for desperate measures. Choking back her pride, Kagome decided to find out more. "All right. I'd like to hear what she has to say."

Sango nodded, relief flooding her. Now that she had a closer look at her, she knew this girl was perfect. She lead her to the limo, stopping to open the door for her. Kagome gave her one last uncertain looking before ducking into the vehicle and awkwardly seating herself.

Her eyes took a moment to adjust to the lighting. A woman was sitting adjacent to her, looking almost unreal with her perfect posture and hands elegantly folded in her lap. Kagome's jaw went slack as she recognized the woman; Kikyo, the model she had been mistaken for over the years.

Kikyo smirked at her uncouth reaction. "I suppose I do not need to tell you my name, hm?" She had an expectant look on her face.

Kagome realized this was her cue to introduce herself. "My name is Kagome Higurashi…and you're Kikyo." The model nodded, pleased with her fame. "When your driver said you worked in the modeling industry, I did not think she meant you were a model." 

Sango, back in the driver's seat, began shifting through the city's snail-paced traffic. Kikyo did not bother to lift the partition between the two compartments. Kikyo chose to ignore Kagome's awestruck attitude and steered the conversation in another direction. "Are you the girl who turns down the job offers meant for me?"

Kagome blinked, unsure of how to continue. Several times over the past few years – since Kikyo's rise to fame – she found herself in unusual circumstances where she was mistaken for the celebrity. For some, like star struck suburban people who were thrilled at the thought that they were meeting a living, breathing celebrity, she played along and even politely handled their requests for autographs. 

But for others…she usually politely told the random men who came up to her with promises of job offers and contacts that she was not, in fact, Kikyo. If they didn't believe her, they became irate. And if they did, they were still irate, but more confused. Kagome grimaced, realizing that if Kikyo had heard about these events, then surely these men had been the ones to tell her. She wondered what sort of answer this striking woman wanted from her; her mind failed to come up with a suitable solution, so she determined that honesty would have to be the best policy.

"Yes."

Kikyo tipped her head back and laughed gaily. "You confused them to no end. They could not understand why I would turn down offers my agent had been working for weeks – sometimes months – to nail down."

Kagome gulped nervously. "I hope I didn't ruin anything for you…I didn't know! I thought they were just…"

"Dirty old men? They probably were. But that is of no matter," she swept her hand in the air, as if to clear out that topic. "Since I heard that there was someone running around looking like me, I had always been very interested in finding you. I'd like to offer a job."

Kagome, reassured that this powerful woman was not holding some sort of grudge against her for accidentally ruining some sort of business deal, distractedly inquired, "What sort of job?"

"To take my place. To stay in my hotel suite, to attend my business functions – nothing significant, just appearance fees usually – and to keep the public eye focused on you."

Kagome was shocked. This woman wanted to give her the opportunity to basically live her life for her? To stay in her glamorous hotel room, rub elbows with the most famous and talented people in the world – and she would pay her? Kagome narrowed her eyes, wondering what the catch must be. "You would pay me to do this…"

Kikyo replied, "Naturally. Does $1,000 a day sound fair to you?"

That much was enough to pay off most of her bills for the month, and that was just one day's work! The stunned girl inquired, "How many days…er, how often will you be requiring my services? If I were to agree, that is," she rushed out with, not wanting to seem too eager.

"Immediately, if you please. I have a few minor engagements that require me to be in the city this week that I have no desire to bore myself with. So for the next seven days, I suppose. If you perform satisfactorily, perhaps we could reach an arrangement for the future. I would leave Sango—" she gestured to the driver, "with you. She is my driver, bodyguard and personal assistant, and would help you orient yourself to acting as me. By the way, where are you heading right now?"

"Uh…the train station." Bodyguard? Kagome fleetingly wondered what sort of activities the model would encounter that would require a bodyguard before being overwhelmed by the suddenness of it all. All she wanted to do was take the train home, curl up in her warm old armchair and take time to absorb this all.

Kikyo, nodded, and ordered, "To the train station, Sango." Moving on as though Kagome had already accepted, eyed her new employee. "The body's perfect, the skin color is right, the hair…We'll call Jakotsu." She leaned forward till she was practically nose to nose with Kagome. "And call the optician. We'll need blue contacts for those gray eyes of yours." Kikyo settled back into her seat. "The voice is passable – most people in the business have not spoken to me personally, anyway, and those who have pay attention to assets other than the sound of my voice. You may be shorter than me, also. You'll just have to make certain to wear high heels."

Kagome gulped, remembering how much she detested formal footwear. "Actually, I don't own high heels."

Kikyo smirked. "I'll provide you with your wardrobe. Footwear and all. You'll be staying in the hotel suite my agency has kindly provided me with for my time in the city and you will have access to the clothes all the designers scrambled to have made for me for the season."

"I haven't even agreed to do this…I don't even know that I _can_ do this!"

"You'll be fine." Kikyo repeated her sweeping gesture from earlier. "Do you accept?" She arched one perfectly waxed eyebrow, as though daring Kagome to turn down the opportunity.

Kagome sighed internally. _Think of the money. Think of not having to ask Mom for help._ "All right," she heard herself say. "I accept."

"Good." Kikyo handed her a business card. "Be there tomorrow at precisely 9AM, and bring whatever personal effects you may need that won't be provided."

They sat in silence for the remainder of the ride to the train station; Kagome, consumed by astonishment and Kikyo, consumed by plans for the next seven days.

**~+~**

Kagome opened one bleary eye to read her alarm clock: 7:31 AM.

"Ack!" she exclaimed, jumping out of bed. She was lucky to have woken up that early naturally. Clearly, she had forgotten to set her alarm; this was indicative of the awful relationship Kagome had with alarm clocks. She hopped in and out of the shower, pulled a tie in her hair before quickly throwing on some sweatpants and a t-shirt. She set a bag on the bed of her studio apartment and began filling it with her "personal effects." The clothes a model would provide certainly would not be at the same comfort level as what Kagome was accustomed to; so, for the times when no one would be watching her as Kikyo, she packed a few comfortable skirts and shirts. She tossed in a few books and her sticker-clad CD player for whatever downtime she had. Fingering her CD collection, Kagome selected a few random CDs and her constant standby, the self-titled debut album "Raging Demons." Despite being five years old, that album was one she could always listen to whenever she wanted to exorcise whatever feelings she was struggling with.

"All right, mental checklist," she said to the room. "Plants can fend for themselves for a week. Buyo—" she turned to the plump calico enjoying a warm spot of sunlight on the floor, "Ayumi said she would stop by and pick you up for the week. And I've got my bag…so I guess that's it." She still felt uncertain, but chalked it up to the unreality of the situation. She grabbed her trusty cell phone and sprinted out the door to catch the 8AM train to the city.

~+~

Kagome found herself gaping at her surroundings. She was standing in the lobby of The Grand Hotel, and she could only think how well the name suited it. She was so distracted she did not even notice as she bumped into one of the quests, a tall man with long dark hair and flashing violet eyes. Without looking at him, she murmured an apology. Realizing she should not draw attention to herself, she lowered her sunglasses and shut her mouth as she made her way to the elevator.

She did not notice that the man she had bumped into was still staring after her.

~+~

He continued watching her, unsure of what had just happened. Sure, it had been five years. Sure, it had only been an intense three week long relationship. Sure, she hadn't even looked directly at him just now. But he knew it was her, and cursed his luck at his agency putting him in the same hotel as her.

Had she actually apologized for bumping into someone? If memory served correctly, that was unusual.

Maybe it wasn't her. Kikyo never dressed so…informally.

Shaking his head, Inuyasha continued out of the lobby of the hotel he had only just checked into that morning, on his way to an appointment with his agent to determine the course of his "reintroduction" publicity week.

~+~

From the dark lacquered wood to the geometric-inspired furniture, the place screamed money. The elevator doors slid open, and Kagome stepped inside. She flipped over the hotel business card Kikyo had given her the day before to look at the handwritten note on the back: PH2. Frowning at the elevator panel, she pushed the likely-looking PH button and soon emerged into a foyer for the penthouse…make that _penthouses_. Dismissing the door labeled PH1, she approached the only other door in the landing. _It has a doorbell?_ Wondering how large the "suite" must be to require a doorbell, her question was soon answered when Sango opened the door.

"Good morning!" Sango chirped. Then, in a more subdued tone, said, "Thank goodness you're on time."

"Eh? Why, is punctuality that important to her?" Kagome knew that Sango would understand she was referring to the employer they now had in common.

Sango smiled and said good-naturedly, "Only other people's punctuality." She gestured for the girl to come inside, where she was again awed by her surroundings.

This second foyer she was in was decorated in muted blues and off-whites with the same dark lacquered wood from the lobby. Her common sense was telling her that white was impractical, but her eyes were just registering how lovely the color scheme worked throughout what she could see of the living room and kitchen. She was tempted to pinch herself, understanding that this was where she would be staying for the next several days. She grinned at the absurdity of it all; it was like a paid vacation.

A paid vacation where she would only have to see her boss on the first and last day. She quickly pulled herself together as Kikyo stepped into the room; Kagome regretted her relaxed choice in clothing as Kikyo gave her a quick appraising look.

"The optician is here to see you first. Jakotsu is setting up in the boudoir, and then we'll prep you for this week's schedule." After saying this, Kikyo promptly walked through the archway leading to the kitchen.

Kagome shot Sango a quizzical glance, and was rewarded with a smile and a "this way" motion. She followed her through the opposite archway into the living room and was greeted by the optician Kikyo had summoned. After determining her eye measurements, Kagome was forced to try several different contacts before her audience was satisfied the color matched the picture of the eyes they were trying to correspond them with.

"Ow…" She rubbed her eyes, already tired just from the pain of learning how to put on contacts and then testing out the knowledge several times over. Why were they using a picture to judge when the actual set of eyes were just a few rooms away? "Did we get it this time?"

Sango nodded sympathetically. "Yup. This time we got it. But we'll need to get you some whitening eye drops if your eyes are going to react to the contacts like that." With that, Sango directed Kagome to the boudoir while she escorted the affable optician out.

The boudoir was a room unto itself. The same high, vaulted ceiling and color scheme existed, but the walls were all mirrors. A perky, effeminate man introduced himself as Jakotsu and indicated she should sit down. Kikyo sauntered into the room and air-kissed with the stylist.

Turning to Kagome, she said, "Jakotsu is the only one I would trust for this. He's fiercely loyal to those he considers his friends."

Jakotsu laughed, "Only for you, Kikyo, would I do house calls."

"And any of your favorite male clients, I'm sure," she quipped back in return.

The pleasantries over with, they both began eyeing Kagome as though she were a work of art that needed major renovations.

"The bangs are a bit elementary," she said, eyeing the girl's raven head of locks. "If you cut them so she can sweep them to the sides, it will take the focus off them. As for the rest of it, with that nice slight wave to it, just do a few layers to bring out the shine and body." The hairdresser nodded enthusiastically, as though this were Kikyo's area of expertise and not his own.

Elementary? "But…your hair is longer than mine." Kagome summoned up her nerve to speak despite all the comments. If she thought about it, they almost seemed like insults. So she chose not to think about it.

Jakotsu had already begun his work, but provided some insight into this. "Honey, you don't want to go the extension route. There is too much work to do here, and too little time!" Recognizing the nervous look on her face, he stepped back for a moment and looked her mirror image in the eye and held up his scissors for her to inspect. "Don't fret sweetie, my trusty Jakotsutou scissors here haven't failed me in all the years I've been styling hair."

Kikyo, her attention back on her magazine, said in an absentminded voice, "Just tell people you wanted a change. When I return, I'll say I came to my senses and went with extensions."

All right, that was definitely an insult. Or is Kikyo really just that self-involved? To not notice she was slighting the people around her was a dangerous way to go through life. However, it stands to reason that people a rich, famous model gives a woman an amazing set of armor for deflecting the consequences. 

Kagome eyed her employer's reflection in the standard salon mirror before her. Kikyo was seated gracefully on a chair one of the hairdresser's minions had rushed to bring over for her so that she could oversee the transformation process. Her legs were crossed at the ankles, and her posture was perfect due to her holding up the magazine instead of laying it across her lap like the average person. Her hair was glossy, her complexion perfect – she did not even seem to be wearing make-up. How could the former Revlon spokesmodel not be wearing make-up? Deciding she did not know enough about the matter to deduce whether or not Kikyo's complexion really was that amazing, the girl's gaze drifted to the clothes. Strappy sandals, red capris, and some sort of white blouse. Described that simply, it sounded like an outfit any woman might wear. But for reasons Kagome was not skilled enough to identify, the outfit was Definitely Designer. The high-heeled shoes had delicate colored stones lining the red straps. The capris had detailed embroidery running on parts of it, so difficult to see because it had been done in the same color as the material. What was the sense in that, Kagome wondered. And the blouse…even though she could not identify it, she knew it was not the everyday cotton.

At least the hair color is right, Kagome thought to herself. But she was proven wrong when the hairdresser, finished with the cut, smeared heavily scented "organic rinse" on her hair to bring out the "natural highlights." While they were waiting for the rinse to take hold, Jakotsu attacked her nails with various lethal-looking metal instruments. Each time she jerked with pain and tried to pull her hand away, Jakotsu would giggle shrilly. "Darling, you have got to sit still. These half-bitten nails just won't do!" 

Once the acrylics had been applied, she peeked around to make sure Kikyo had left to led Jakotsu and his staff out. Kagome examined them, wondering how long they would last with her occasional nervous habit of biting her nails. They looked pretty strong… "Ow!" she cried, after foolishly giving a firm tug on one of her new extensions to test its adhesive.

"Tried pulling on them, didn't you?" Sango grinned, popping her head into the room.

"How could you tell?"

Sango held out her own bright pink manicured fingers. "As a representative of Kikyo, I must maintain a certain professional image." Dropping the formal tone, she admitted, "When I first got them, I tried pulling 'em off, too. Come on, the aesthetician is set up in the other room to give do your waxing, and then Kikyo will be ready for you in the Closet."

Kagome's eyes went wide as saucers. 

"Waxing?"

~+~

"_KYAAAA!"_

Miroku was jerked out of his meditation by the sound of a young woman screaming in the next suite over. His instincts told him to go rescue the damsel who sounded so clearly in distress, but then her stopped to listen to the still-shouting girl.

"_STOP…the DAMN…WAAAAAAAXING!"_

Deciding there actually _was_ a situation where he would not want to see a woman in a state of half-dress, Miroku turned up his relaxation music and waited for Inuyasha to return.

~+~

"Ow…"

Sango was trying her best not to burst out in laughter, but was failing miserably.

"Hehe…you've never…haha…gotten a wax before?" she snorted in amusement.

Kagome made a displeased face before asking irritably, "Have _you?!"_

Sango stopped laughing immediately. "No." Her thoughtful face changed into a wicked grin. "It's not in my job description."

Her legs, her eyebrows, her underarms, anywhere that sadist aesthetician deemed needing hair removal, was now smarting something awful. And some places hurt worse than others. _The price of beauty… _Kagome gave a small "hmph" sound and continued awkwardly following her new-found friend to the Closet.

Pain momentarily forgotten, Kagome gazed at the sheer quantity of…_stuff._ Kikyo was waiting for the pair in a room that rivaled the boudoir in size. Racks and racks trousers and shirts and skirts and shoes and purses and totes, all arranged by color, from reds and yellows to greens and blues…

Kikyo gestured to an outfit and ordered, "Try this one on. I think we're the same size, so most anything in the Closet should fit you; but let's make certain."

After changing into the provided outfit and shoes (curse those high heels), Kikyo began tugging this way and that way on the material, pausing to stare at Kagome's eyes and hair cut one final time.

"It works."

With that approval, Kagome tottered over to see her reflection. She looked at the final result in the full-length three-way mirror. She sucked in her breath at what she saw. Kagome looked like a more polished version of herself…like she was older…like she was more sophisticated…like she was Kikyo. 

She wondered how much all of this had cost…opticians making house calls, stylists with entourages. Probably more than Kagome made in a day, which was now saying a lot. 

"Now let's discuss the agenda." The three women settled themselves around a table in the dining room. Sango had a large day planner splayed out in front of her, and she handed copies of the condensed schedules to both Kagome and Kikyo.

"The basic purpose of the events you'll be attending are for the press and upper society to have me fresh in their mind when I make my official comeback next month as the signature model in the Yohji Yamamato spring campaign. My career calmed down when I decided to take time off a year ago – and now it's time for me to get back in the game," Kikyo's face contorted for a quick moment, almost a grimace, gone as quickly as it came. "These are just appearances, mind you – people see me about town and showing up at a few important social functions, then they'll be more likely to talk about me come next month. No one will expect you to talk much or stay very long – I'm not known for either."

Kagome, understandably, still felt nervous despite the new knowledge. "What about people who know you well – how will I recognize them, or even respond appropriately?"

"Sango will point out important people for you to greet. Aside from that, I really do not have any close friends for you to be concerned about, and my business contacts are never much interested in chatting anyway."

_How sad_…

Kikyo ignored the pitying look on Kagome's face and turned back to the paper before her. "Let's see…" she muttered, scanning the condensed schedule. "Tomorrow is Tuesday, and there is a launch party for some new musical act my agency is touting. Wednesday is a photo shoot for Celebrity magazine spread next month to promote stars making their returns to fame."

"A photo shoot?" Kagome squeaked. "Kikyo, I have no idea what to do at a photo shoot. Someone will spot an amateur who is supposed to be a pro!"

"Nonsense." Again the older woman waved her hand through the air. "Sango will be with you to tell you who is who. Kotatsu is the photographer – just do exactly as he says, or else he'll have a fit. You'll be expected to attend the opening of the new restaurant Anis on Friday…but nothing is on the schedule for Saturday. Whenever you find yourself with free time, like on Saturday, just go about the city as me. Try not to do anything too provincial, and try to let yourself be photographed. Likewise, do not turn down invitations from important people – Sango will let you know who those people are."

Confusion evident in her voice, Kagome asked, "Shouldn't Saturday be a busy day for you?"

Kikyo just gave her a withering look for her ignorance while Sango mouthed the words 'Too cliché' to her.

_Oh._

"Sunday is some society girl's birthday bash, Monday is the Tongue and Groove club opening and Tuesday I return and you go back to your life." 

Normal life would be so boring after this.

~+~

Kikyo was surrounded by her Louis Vuitton suitcases the bellhops were struggling to transport as Sango and Kagome stood nearby to see her off.

"Don't forget, everything – including your paycheck – hinges on you not letting anyone find out your true identity. Call if you think you can't handle it. And I do not want you to have to call me," Kagome said in a commanding tone.

"Where is it you will be going? If I may ask," Kagome added hastily.

"An ashram, or spiritual retreat, out in the desert."

Was it Kagome's imagination, or was Sango trying to hold back laughter _again_?

"Well…" Kagome hesitated, her employer, and the woman whose life she was supposed to be emulating for the next week, was about to leave. "Is there anything else you can think of I should know?"

Kikyo paused just as she was about to shut the door.

"No."

~+~

  
  
[**A/N**: Right! So...let's not kill me for not having much Inuyasha in this chapter, shall we? Because if you do, then I cannot finish this story, and we wouldn't want that. 

Anyyyyway, I pretty much know where I want to go with this story - I want more comedy, and I want to figure out a good side story for Sango and Miroku. Yes, yes, there will be fluffy moments for our main couple. Heh, so the problem with my aspirations is that I've never written comedy, and I can't think of a good side story for Sango and Miroku. But I promised LaraWinner it would involve sake bombs. Any ideas, people?

As always, pretty please, review - constructive criticism, advice, and bribes always accepted.]

[**Shameless Plug of the Day**: _Starbreak_ by **CelesteSpring** [story id: 1442866, user id: 368869]. Oh my. Right, so if you think her fic is just another AU about werewolves, you'd be wrong. Very wrong. Stick with it – the perspective is kind of stream-of-consciousness in the beginning, but there's a good reason for it. And so far, she's updating frequently, making for very happy readers.


	2. There's Always a Catch

[**Disclaimer**: The rumors are true. To find out what those rumors are, refer back to the first chapter.]

[**Summary**: AU.  A job is a job.  Except when the job involves Kagome being paid to masquerade as her employer, Kikyo, and having to deal with all the messy details of her life that she failed to mention.  Like stalkers and ex-boyfriends.]

  
  
  
**_Faking It_ ******

**  
Chapter 2**

**There's Always a Catch**

by Bikutoria

**~+~**

   
_"To find yourself jilted is a blow to your pride. Do your best to forget it and if you don't succeed, at least pretend to."_

**-Moliere**  
  
~+~

**Day 3**

Sango and Kagome had spent the previous evening getting to know a bit about each other over a mean game of Uno.  Unfortunately for Kagome, Sango turned out to be a surprisingly aggressive player.  Despite Kagome's experience, she lost out on a few hands.

"Uno!"  Kagome slapped down her cards as she began gleefully celebrating her happenstance victory. 

Sango rolled her eyes affably, holding back a full-blown grin at her co-worker's exuberant behavior.  "A normal person would have gotten enough of this game last night," she said, tossing her losing hand of cards before picking up her cereal bowl.

Kagome switched from her excitement to a faux haughty tone, sticking her nose in the air, "A person never tires of winning."

"If you keep up that behavior, no one will be able to tell you and Kikyo apart!" Sango snorted.

Her face broke into a smile before uttering, "Mission accomplished, then."  The diminutive woman slipped into a more calm exterior as she let her concerns creep up on her again.  "I wish it would be that easy."

"Just remember to not make jokes of that sort, and you'll be fine."

"What sort of jokes can I make?" Kagome inquired.

"The non-existent kind."  Both would have rolled their eyes if the reality of the situation wasn't what it was: Kagome really would have to appear as cool, calm, and quiet as her employer, and Sango was going to have to tell her how to do it. 

Kagome eyed Sango's breakfast with distaste.  "I don't know how you can be eating that stuff so late in the day.

Sango shrugged diffidently before explaining, "Noon is the normal starting time around here, and then breakfast is the first meal after you get up."  She stood and headed to the sink, and raised her voice to be heard above the water she began running.  "What time did you wake up?"

Kagome looked at the clock hanging above the archway to the rest of the suite.  She looked back down at her own uneaten cereal and poked at it with a spoon.  "Around nine."

Sango's laughter could be heard quite easily.  "A.M.?  You better get used to sleeping in late this week or taking catnaps, otherwise the late nights will wear you out."

A false look of contrition flitted across Kagome's faced as she said, "Can't have the dear old boss calling up about paparazzi photos of 'herself' with bags under 'her' eyes."

Sango swatted Kagome on the arm as she passed by her.  "Can't have the dear boss reading reports of herself talking in the third person and calling herself old."  She checked the time before continuing; "You really should take a nap before tonight.  I'll wake you up when it's time to start getting ready."  Sango made a move to clear Kagome's plates before they were grabbed out from under her by Kagome herself.

The faux model grabbed her dirty plates and walked over to the sink.  She teased Sango cheerfully, "Yes, _mother_.  A nap might do me some good…"

Once Kagome was firmly ensconced in the luxurious down comforters (plural!  She could hardly believe it) settled on Kikyo's bed, she allowed her mind to drift into that hazy state just before sleep arrives; distantly, she thought she might have heard a repetitive banging sound, too slight to lure her from her soporific state…

~+~

In a room not too far away, Inuyasha was bouncing a superball steadily against his wall.  Laying flat on his back in bed, he realized one wrong move and the damn thing would thwack him in the face.

Suddenly, his door flew open with such force that it smacked the wall.  Inuyasha's reaction time slipped due to the startling moment and he failed to grab the flying rubber ball; consequently, Miroku had a perfect vantage point in the doorway to see his friend – and current employer – get thwacked in the face with the damn thing that had been causing him frustration for many minutes now.

"Ow…what the…what do you want, Miroku?"

Removing himself from the doorway, he waltzed over to the prone source of his misery and deftly plucked the small superball off the bed.  "I am confiscating this, or I will resign."

Inuyasha rubbed his forehead while letting out a derisive snort.  "As if you'd quit – you'll meet more women this week than you normally meet in a year."

"Good point, but you're still not getting it back.  Find something else to distract yourself with – something that doesn't cause my room to reverberate."  With that, Miroku jerked his thumb in the direction of the wall Inuyasha had been steadily damaging, which happened to house Miroku's sleeping quarters on the opposite side.

"Did I interrupt your beauty sleep, Miroku?" he jeered, using his attitude to try and dissuade his friend from sitting down to question him.  

However, the many years of friendship between the two had inoculated Miroku to Inuyasha's rudeness; he plopped himself onto a plush divan adjacent to the bed, one leg splayed comfortably over the armrest.  He calmly inquired, "So the meeting went that well yesterday?"

Inuyasha mentally groaned; irked at Miroku for his intuitiveness and irked at himself for agreeing to this situation in the first place.  "Yeah, it went just swell," he bit out sarcastically.  "Schedule's on the end table."

"Anything on for tonight?" Miroku asked, already making moves to grab the paper for himself to read.

Inuyasha lifted one hand in a vague gesture, "Maybe…"

A slight curve turned up the edge of Miroku's mouth in a smile.  "Yes, a launch party for something.  I hope it's miniskirts…or lingerie…or perfume…" he trailed off, visions of perfume-clad women strutting around in his head.

The news did not make Inuyasha as happy as it made his friend.  "A launch party?  Why do I even have to go to something like that?  I've got nothing to do with anything anyone wants to sell."

Miroku's face turned serious before issuing a reminder.  "You will if this week goes according to plan."

Inuyasha's mental groan forced itself to become a verbal one, muffled only by the pillow he was holding over his face.

~+~

"Shoot, we just missed the elevator."  Kagome eyed the diminutive assistant of Kikyo's as they waited for the other one to ascend.  Once they stepped into the empty compartment, she felt compelled to comment on Sango's apparel.  She was attired in a black pantsuit with obvious designer lines…and an amazing hot-pink silk lining.  "That's an amazing suit!"

"This old thing?"  Kagome giggled before Sango explained, "This is basically my uniform.   It looks good enough, but not too flashy, so that I can maneuver easily at any formal gatherings I have to attend with Kikyo.  If you look at publicity photos of her, I'm that woman you see cut off in the edge of the photo.  And, in case we run into trouble…" Sango demonstrated the ease of movement by high-kicking the air.  "It's incredibly easy to move in."

"Oh…" _Trouble?  _Kagome had almost forgotten that Sango was not simply in the role of personal assistant, but that of a bodyguard also. 

Kagome had half a mind to interrogate her as to why she was working for the model in that capacity – more specifically, why Kikyo needed anyone working for her in the bodyguard capacity in the first place.  Unfortunately, the other half of Kagome's mind was distracted by the elevator door's opening to reveal the magnificent hotel foyer that had entranced her the previous day, so the question slipped her mind.  

Sango guided her nimbly through the lobby, keeping her head facing straight while beckoning for Kagome to do the same.  Kagome found herself mentally chanting _cool, calm, quiet_ in her head, the inner noise distracting her from the glossy wood and vaulted ceilings.

Sango, inured by such sights during her time in Kikyo's employ, allowed her mind to wander to the evening at hand.  "The limo should be waiting for us since I called for it a half—"

"We're taking a limo?" Kagome interrupted, her brows furrowed.

"Yup, and I'll be your chauffeur for the evening." Sango's tone was playful, but the pseudo-boss wasn't having it.

"Can't we take a cab…or something else?  I mean, you and I, we're in this together."

Sango felt surprise creep up on her.  Yes, it had registered in her mind that this girl was different from most she met in this line of business.  Most would be taking advantage of the superiority a position like this would be giving them even if it was just for a short time.

"Actually, since this is really just a launch party, it's more business than anything else.  There shouldn't be much media coverage outside, so we could get away with taking a cab.  If you're sure…" Sango trailed off, wanting to leave an opening for Kagome to change her mind.

"I love loopholes."  With that, Kagome grinned and looped an arm with the multitasking coworker as she signaled for a cab with the free arm.

As they settling into the cab, Sango excused herself to make some calls on her cell phone.  Kagome let her attention focus itself on the sights speeding by her window, curtly ignoring the cab driver's many glances in the rear view mirror.  She tugged down her top to make her midriff feel more covered, but as she had already figured out, that just made her cleavage stand out that much more.  She sighed and adjusted the top in a compromise – she chose to see her stomach and chest as half covered instead of half _un_covered.  At least if she was wearing a dress she'd feel more secure.

But Kikyo had been adamant about that.  Sango had woken Kagome off, all but tossed the groggy woman into a bath before preparing her for the evening.  Kikyo called in on speakerphone, demanding to see her double in various outfits; their employer's mental catalogue of her closet was impeccable.  And while Kagome could admit that the outfit they had decided on looked amazing, it certainly didn't feel amazing.  She thought maybe she should change her mental chant to _two thousand dollars a day, two thousand dollars a day_ if she wanted to get through this week mentally intact.

Kagome wanted to like Kikyo; in fact, it was hard to _dislike_ a woman who was paying her an exorbitant amount of money for a seemingly simple and temporary assignment.  Yet Kikyo, with her clipped voice and high standards, made it easy for her subordinates to dislike her.  Kikyo was already playing on the typically pleasant girl's nerves, and she wasn't even in the country…at least, she wasn't as far as Kagome and Sango knew.  Kagome fingered her necklace while wondering again if this job would be as easy as they all were making it out to be.  

She was finally pulled out of her reverie by the simultaneous clicking sound of Sango's cell phone shutting and the cab pulling to a stop.  "We're here," Kagome heard her companion say.  "Just follow my lead, look beyond people as though you're looking for someone else to talk to, and don't smile."

Don't smile.  Kagome felt like she could definitely manage that right now.  Quelling the rising fear that was causing her heart to thud and her cheeks to pale, she opened the door.

~+~

"Remind me again why we're here."

Miroku, not taking his eyes off a particularly scantily clad group of women congregating in one part of the room, said, "Why, standing in a room full of some of the loveliest ladies in the world, do you feel the need to ask that question?  You would do well to appreciate your surroundings."

"I didn't say to remind me of why _you_ are happy to be here, I asked why _we_ are here," Inuyasha growled.

Miroku dropped the jovial tone.  "Because, after years of failed persuasions, you finally succumbed to your agent's pleas for you to come back to the city to see if you were ready to rejoin the world of popular music.  And the perk for me as your personal assistant and bodyguard—" Inuyasha's eyes narrowed at that, which Miroku wisely choice to ignore "—is that I get to attend all the opportune gatherings they schedule..."

The look of boredom that had plagued Inuyasha throughout the party vanished as he heard his friend's voice trail off.  He followed Miroku's line of sight to that of two women, one whose face he was able to see but unable to recognize, while the other had her back to them.  The ladies looked good enough for surroundings such as this, but he couldn't quell the skeptical feeling that rose in his gut.  

He turned suspiciously to Miroku, wondering why this particular pair captured his notice.  Inuyasha was again surprised, this time due to an inexplicable look of shock on said friend's face.  Miroku was never surprised, particularly by the other gender.  Feeling that this was too good a chance to pass up, he started mocking the distracted – and defenseless – man.

"Why so surprised, Miroku, do you know them?  Should I go introduce myself to your lady friends?"  With that, he walked off to potentially (and hopefully) embarrass Miroku.  At least that would entertain him more than this dull gathering. 

Miroku came to his senses just after Inuyasha began weaving his way through the crowd.  And then berated himself – it was bad enough to be distracted by Sango, but even worse to be distracted by her companion and _not_ immediately notify Inuyasha that she was here.  Miroku also realized that his friend must not have seen _her_, otherwise he wouldn't be making his way across the room quite so quickly.  He scrambled to catch up to Inuyasha in order to stop him, but had lost precious ground in his agitation.

Inuyasha could be genial when he wanted; he just didn't usually want to.  However, genial for him wasn't exactly the same working definition for the rest of the world, so as he came upon the women he began by addressing himself to the one whose face he had seen from across the room, the one that Miroku had been distracted by.  "My name's Inuyasha.  My friend over there…" he found himself losing the power of speech as her companion turned around.  The previously unseen woman was now seen.

"Kikyo…"****

Kagome blinked, once, then twice.  She found it easy to hold the blank expression on her face; who was this guy?  She had been holding her own with Sango by her side; only a small stumble as she stepped out of the cab (the high heels) and one very enthusiastic French-speaking person whom Sango quickly dispatched with a few quick words in his language.  Most people here hadn't seemed to know her, at least not on a personal level; everyone who approached either wanted to praise Kikyo or have Kikyo praise them.  The model's quiet temperament widely known, both of those could be taken care of quickly with a few slightly glowing words either way.  But this guy…

Inuyasha's dazed expression turned irate, and he repeated the name once more, in a much flatter tone.  "Kikyo."

She had been about to hold out her hand in introduction, but she quickly gathered that this guy already knew 'her' and definitely wasn't pleased to see her.  Struggling to think of what to say, she found herself unable to tear her gaze away from his eyes.

Sango, unfortunately, was caught up in what Inuyasha had been saying before he trailed off.  And again, unfortunately, she spotted the "friend", and had a reaction not dissimilar to the one Inuyasha was quickly recuperating from.  However, she much preferred to not stand there slack-jawed gaping, so she directed her attention back to the man who had started all the trouble in the first place.

She didn't recognize him.  All the time Sango had spent as Kikyo's personal assistant was failing her right now, at the first real test of the week.  She frantically flipped through her mental rolodex while maintaining a cool exterior; if she couldn't remember herself, she'd have him help her.

Sango nodded slightly to get his attention and said, "I don't believe we've met.  I'm Sango, Kikyo's assistant."

Inuyasha took his gaze off of Kagome, but his expression was no less irate.  "Inuyasha."

"And I," huff puff, "am Miroku," a very disheveled Miroku announced, glad to have arrived before anyone said anything they would regret.

"Kikyo," Inuyasha repeated for the third time, "I'm surprised to see you here.  I was told you weren't in town."

Kagome  modulated her voice.  "I have a few engagements in town this week."  She wondered what the heck was going on.  Sango was adamantly refusing to look at this Miroku person – and utterly distracted - and Kikyo hadn't warned her about any guys that might be happy – or unhappy – to see her.  She surreptitiously checked Inuyasha out as he introduced himself to Sango, wondering if she might recognize him.  He looked a bit familiar, but since she couldn't place him she would have to play it safe.

Her face betrayed her; KAgome let herself look slightly surprised as Inuyasha exhaled, grumbling, "If I had known that, I wouldn't have come to the city this week."

_Wow_, Kagome thought.  Kikyo must have burnt this one badly.  Deductive reasoning said that this sort of bitterness usually came from ex-boyfriends.

He sniffed the air.  Even amidst the many people moving about in the enclosed space, he could smell a subtly sweet scent.  His eyes narrowed in her direction.  It was her.  She smelled—

"New perfume?" he asked.

"Um…" _Stop sound so uncertain!_  "Pear-apple body splash."  Come to think of it…body splash scent was never meant to be strong enough to last long.  

"Smells awful, Kikyo," he offered casually.

She could feel a vein popping in her forehead as her anger mounted.  He was so _infuriating!_  All Kagome wanted to do was to shout back at this infuriating man.  To let him know she _wasn't _Kikyo; her name was Kagome!  Ka-go-me!

But that was not an option.  What she knew she _had_ to do was keep up the façade of being Kikyo the best she could.  Unfortunately, Kikyo had not left any instructions on how to act around former boyfriends with anger management issues.

Manners came to mind, and Inuyasha said, "This is Miroku."

Kagome's mind went into automatic pilot as she replied, "Nice to meet you, Miroku."

A perplexed look flashed through Miroku's face.  He opened his mouth to begin speaking but was immediately interrupted by Inuyasha's coarse laughter.  "You met him five years ago, Kikyo.  This is the same guy I had working for me back then as I do now."

Kagome felt an un-Kikyo-like blush begin to creep up her neck.  "Forgive me, my memory must be fading."

Miroku smoothly responded, "No problem at all, Kikyo.  He pays me to keep his life in order and occasionally he lets his pride down enough to let me act as his bodyguard, same as usual."

Sango, sensing Kagome's mortification, swept in to distract the group.  "Well, Inuyasha, if the introduction was intended for me, there was certainly no need.  I have already had the displeasure of meeting this lecher."

"Oh!" Miroku exclaimed, holding a hand to his heart.  "Sango, you wound me.  I did not know you thought so poorly of our past encounters."  With this, he raised his eyebrows rakishly.

Inuyasha and Kagome simply looked at the pair, each of their mouths forming tiny little 'o's of surprise.  

Sango cursed the fact the she blushed easily.  Trying to salvage the situation, she snapped, "Get your heads out of the gutter!" to the astonished pair before smacking Miroku on the arm.

Kagome was having a terrible time keeping a straight face; if the façade slipped, she might not get it back up before the crowd surrounding them realized she was out of character.  She realized that if she was going to get away to gather her wits, now was the time since Inuyasha was paying attention to the squabbling couple and not glaring at herself; strangely, she didn't know if she could stand hearing him call her Kikyo one more time.  Grabbing Sango by the arm, she declared, "We have to be going now."  Nodding once to Miroku to gesture that it had been nice to meet him, she turned on her heel and prayed Sango would follow her and stay out of her stupor.  

One night, over before it had barely begun.

~+~  
  
[**A/N**: My biggest concern is that the chapter isn't flowing, because half of it was written ages ago and the other half was written much more recently.  Thanks so, so much to each and every one of you who reviewed.  You made me very, very happy, so I really hope this chapter made you at least one very's worth of happy.  If it didn't, review to let me know why; if it did, review to let me know why!]

[**Shameless Plug of the Day**:  ArtemisMoon's **Big Trouble Comes in Small Packages**. [user id: 62784, story id:1689360.]  It's funny.  Trust me.  Go read it.  And don't forget to review.  Reviews replace food and water for some authors.


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